My Hurricane Charley Experience

[caneman]

I know I don't post alot here but do lots of reading. First I want to Thank Dean4 Storms for pointing out that if it went East of Isle of Youth it would go South or at Tampa Bay. Great insight Dean for picking that up on the models. I live in Pinellas County the area that was suppose to get hit. I was in a HurricaneEvac sight and told to evacuate. I decided to leave unlike some of my neighbors. If it were just me I might have stayed it out just to experience it. However, having kids and knowing how traumatic these things can be, I decided to evac to Kissimmee.

I won't say it was the wrong choice because I know I was doing the right thing, however, little did I know that I would end up in the eye wall of Charley. Last night we expercienced Cat .2 conditions which bordered on cat. 3 and was Cat. 3 in gusts. We lost power immediately. The back up generator was great but that only provided light power and continued to flicker on and off. It rained so hard and sideways that water penetrated our Hotel room and that of many others. The damage I saw was unbelievable and this was early morning before the Sun even came up. For 1 day I had to experience what is was like to not have electricity other than lights. No warm water for shower. No cold water for drinking and most certainly no place to eat or for that matter get coffee. We were fortunate in that we could come back home and a place to get those things. Others however have no place to go.

Lastly, I want to say to people who don't take these things seriously. I have a brother who was always telling me ahhh, you'r making a big deal, they always veer away, blah, blah, blah. Well, it turn out that he lives very near Sanibel Islands. He called me absolutely terrified as the strom was on him and nearly crying as he had his family with him. He asked me what to do. Told him to go to the opposite side of the house from where Charley was coming from and to grab a mattress and hop in the tub. As it turns out the system seemed to veer just North of him by maybe 10 miles, he didn't take NHC's advice nor mine. The local guy on Channel Nine in Orlando did an unbelievable job in pointing out nearly a few hours before NHC that the system was clearly heading further South. I know he should have evacuated sooner but it makes me wonder if he and others might not have had an on the ball guy like the guy in Orlando. MY worst fear for my brother was storm surge. I urged him to keep an eye and get to attic or Roof if necessary. I was truly scared for him because if the storm surge would have panned out as advertised, he and I'm sure many, many , many, many , many more people would have persished. I'm not quite sure why the storm surge was only 7 ft. but clearly it should have been at least 15ft. perhaps the barrier islands reduced it. I don't know. Moral of the story is - he is now a believer and I'm now no longer in the business of secretly wishing a storm my way now. I know I can survive a Cat. 2 now but you never know when 110 will quickly jumg to 145. Trust me the very people who stayed behind here In Tampa St. Pete, when they found out the strength and at the time it was still heading for them, you could hear the fear in their voices.

[Steve Cosby]

However, having kids and knowing how traumatic these things can be, I decided to evac to Kissimmee.

I won't say it was the wrong choice because I know I was doing the right thing, however, little did I know that I would end up in the eye wall of Charley. Last night we expercienced Cat .2 conditions which bordered on cat. 3 and was Cat. 3 in gusts. We lost power immediately.

Lastly, I want to say to people who don't take these things seriously. I have a brother who was always telling me ahhh, you'r making a big deal, they always veer away, blah, blah, blah. Well, it turn out that he lives very near Sanibel Islands. He called me absolutely terrified as the strom was on him and nearly crying as he had his family with him. He asked me what to do. Told him to go to the opposite side of the house from where Charley was coming from and to grab a mattress and hop in the tub.

I know I can survive a Cat. 2 now but you never know when 110 will quickly jumg to 145. Trust me the very people who stayed behind here In Tampa St. Pete, when they found out the strength and at the time it was still heading for them, you could hear the fear in their voices.

First, glad you and your family (including your brother) are OK.

Second, your post should be made into a poster. You did the right thing even though you turned out to be in Cat 2 conditions. That was, to the best of my knowledge, not predicted in time for you to know better.

Your brother's story should be publicized far and wide.

[Dean4Storms]

Let me say you are WELCOME Caneman! Just a tidbit I noticed with the models that seemed to play out. Thankfully you and your family are safe and I pray you never have to go through that again!

[NC George]

I would guess the surge wasn't as high as predicted because the short time before landfall during which the hurricane intensified from Cat 2 to Cat 4 didn't allow enough time for the water below to pile up.